Location(s): UK, Europe & Africa: UK : Manchester
Business Analyst
Business Analyst Overview
Business Analysts work closely with our clients, acting as the interface between client needs and technical delivery. They support our clients in improving their products and/or services through process improvement, requirements gathering and data analysis. Business Analysts apply appropriate techniques to define, manage and support the implementation of effective solutions to our clients' business issues.
The Business Analyst will:
- Lead non-complex requirements gathering, process analysis and improvement and data analysis to produce key outputs and artefacts for clients, under the general direction of the team leader and other senior colleagues. Escalate when issues fall outside of their area of responsibility.
- Apply appropriate techniques and evaluation tools, supported by senior colleagues, to non complex work in both Agile and Waterfall environments.
- Facilitate elements of workshops and meetings with clients to identify issues, opportunities and explore complex business problems relating to the client's area of change.
- Have a clear understanding of the client's organisation and goals and play an active and impactful part in delivering value as part of a team.
- Influence customers, suppliers and partners at the working level, forming strong relationships.
- Plan and monitor own work competently within the deadlines set.
In addition to their work on client facing projects, our Business Analysts are expected to make a varied contribution to the business through the Discipline and/or Business Unit. Examples of contribution include:
- Continuous improvement of our business - Leading non complex process improvements and efficiencies, including collaborating with others on improvement activities within the Discipline, Account or Business Unit.
- People and leadership - coaching junior staff and giving feedback to peers and colleagues, including upwards management, and taking responsibility for own development and performance. Support new joiners to the organisation and arrange opportunities to network across the organisation to contribute to relationship building and knowledge sharing.
- Client development - developing and using their understanding of our clients and BAE Systems' market offerings to build relationships and trust, potentially leading to the extension of their own delivery role and others', to widen the scope of engagement. Work on bid development to contribute to growth, support recruitment and onboarding, maintain internal and external networks and represent the company at external events.
- Enhancing our collective knowledge - supporting the curation and dissemination of tools and methodologies, effectively harnessing existing knowledge and collateral where possible and sharing it wider than the project.
Core Duties
- Investigates customers' operational needs and problems and opportunities, recommending improvements in automated and non automated components of new or changed processes and activities.
- Evaluates and reconciles information gathered from multiple sources.
- Decomposes high level information into details as well as abstracting from low level information to a general understanding.
- Supports the preparation of reports, inputs into business cases and client deliverables to share findings and recommendations.
- Leads the development of specifications and models for non complex IT systems or software, assisting with testing new solutions.
Requirement Definition and Management
- Defines and manages scoping, requirements definition and prioritisation activities for small scale changes and assists with more complex change initiatives.
- Follows agreed standards and applies appropriate techniques to elicit and document detailed requirements. Provides constructive challenge to stakeholders as required. Reviews requirements for errors and omissions.
- Prioritises requirements and documents traceability to source.
- Provides input to the requirements baseline/backlog. Investigates, manages and applies requests for changes to requirements, in line with change management policy.
Business Process Improvement
- Leads the design and implementation of process improvements or re engineering for non complex business operations and services.
- Works under supervision to apply analysis and evaluation skills to support business process tests and usability evaluation.
- Conducts business/functional modelling to enable client decisions.
Process Testing
- Designs non complex process test cases and scripts that cover end to end business scenarios.
- Actively participates in requirement and design reviews to refine test plans. Prepares and manages test data that accurately mirrors business processes.
- Automates repeatable tests for efficiency. Analyzes and reports on outcomes, focusing on impacts to business processes.
Knowledge, Skills and Qualifications
- A thorough knowledge of analytical techniques, core requirements engineering and core process engineering to apply to problems or opportunities, with experience in applying these in one or more client organisations.
- A strong understanding of Agile approaches, Functional Analysis and User Centered Design and is able to compare and recommend a suitable approach.
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to think strategically and creatively.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders.
- Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and thrive in fast paced environments.
- Knowledge of industry and market trends, actively developing a breadth of knowledge across the industry.
How we will support you
- Work life balance is important; you can work around core hours with flexible and part time working.
- As many of our customers work predominantly in the office, we expect all of our staff to work at least 3 days per week in the office.
- You'll get 25 days holiday a year and the option to buy/sell and carry over from the year before.
- Our flexible benefits package includes private medical and dental insurance, a competitive pension scheme, cycle to work scheme, taste cards and more.
- You'll have a dedicated Career Manager to help you develop your career and guide you on your journey through BAE.
- You'll be part of our company bonus scheme.
- You are welcome to join any/all of our Diversity and Support groups. These groups cover everything from gender diversity to mental health and wellbeing.
Security Clearance is required for this vacancy. If you are not currently Security Cleared, you will need to be eligible for this and willing to go through the process.